Refrigerator



L. W. FISH. REFRIGERATOR.

(Applica-tiox; filed Sept. 6, 189B.)

Pat'ahtod Mar. .21, I899.- v

' 2 Sheets-Shaat I.

-No Model.)

llll

WITNESSES WWW No. 62l,645. Patented Mar. 2|. I899. L. W. FISH. REFRIGERATOR. (Application flled Sept. 6, 1888.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

YNVENTOR oz, 1? M WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC;

LIVINGSTONE WV. 'FISH, OF EASTPORT, MAINE.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,645, dated March 21, 1899.

Application filed September 6, 1898. serial h ,2 (N0 111061310 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LIVINGSTONE W. FIsH,

of Eastport, in the county of Washington and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in refrigerators, and more particularly to an im proved drip appliance therefor.

The inconvenience and annoyance of drippans under refrigerators is a matter of common knowledge among housekeepers, and it is apparent that it is disagreeable and at times dangerous for a woman to get down on her knees and bend over sufficient-ly to en-' able her to remove the drip-pan from under the refrigerator, which must be done twice a day to prevent running over, owing to the limited space under the bottom of the refrig erator admitting only a small pan. The ice in refrigerators melts very slowly and the water escapes from the ice-box only one drop at a time. erators is about three-fourths of an inch in diameter and allows all the space that is not taken up by the single drop of water to admit warm air into the ice-chamber, or if the pipe has a cap on top (which is sometimes the case) the Warm air rises the whole length of the food'-chamber,and as the ice-water is continuously dropping down the drops of ice-water coming into contact with the warm air causes the pipe to sweat or become moist on the outside, which moisture runs down on the bot-.

' for refrigerators and to provide drip appliances which shall be readily accessible for the purpose of emptying the same.

A further object is to so locate the drip-re- The waste-pipe in ordinary refrigtion of my invention thereto.

; ceptacle that it shall not be subjected to a high temperature, such as that of the atmosphere in the summer season, and thus avoid the sweating of said drip-receptacle.

A further object is to provide a refrigerator with a removable drip-receptacle which shall be normally disposed within the body of the refrigerator, so that it shall be readily'accessi-ble and so that the temperature of the ice-water in saidreceptacle can be utilized in assisting in the refrigeration of the foodchamber of the refrigerator.

A further object is to produce a drip appliance for refrigerators which shall be simple in construction, whichashall be readily accessible for emptying, which can be easily and quickly removed and replaced, and which shall beefiectual in all respects in the performance of its functions.

With these objects in View the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View of a refrigerator, showing the applica- Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the drip-receptacle.

A represents a refrigerator; B, the ice-box thereof; 0, the food-chamber, and D the door for the food-chamber. With this door my improvements are connected, for which purpose the inner face-of the door is provided with ears or clamps 1 1 near its lower edge and with clamps 2 3, adapted to removably supporta fiat drip pan or receptacle E against the inner face of said door. The pan E is made with flanges 4 at its edges, which rest against the inner face of the door and adapted to be engaged by the clamps 1 1 2 8.- The upper end of the drip-receptacle is also provided at or near the inner edge thereof with a hole 8, into which one end of a rubber tube normally projects loosely (slipping up or down in the drip-receptacle at the opening or closing of the door) and which is readily removable when the drip-receptacle is to be emptied. The rubber tube is preferably made of comparatively heavy rubber, and its other end is attached to the outlet of the icebox, so that the water resulting from the melting of the ice will flow through said tube and into the drip-receptacle on the door of the food-chamber, from which it can be readily removed, as above explained, without inconvenience or discomfort to the user. When the drip-receptacle is to be removed from the door D, the rubber tube will first be withdrawn from the receptacle and bent up to prevent the flow of water through it. It will be supported in this position by means of a hook 10, attached thereto and adapted to engage an eye or keeper 11, attached to the clamp 2. The clamp 3 may be turned, when the drip-receptacle E can be removed and emptied. By a reversal of these operations the drip-receptacle can be easily and quickly replaced.

By means of my improvements the inconvenience and annoyance incident to the employment of drip-pans under refrigerators are effectually obviated. The drip-pan is disposed in such manner as to be readily accessible. My improvements can be applied to the door of any refrigerator now in use, and they are effectual in all respects in the performance of their functions.

.mally constituting an exposed part of the inner vertical Wall of the food-chamber, and a pipe connecting the ice-chamber and drip-receptacle when the door is closed or open, sub-- stantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a refrigerator, of clamps attached to the inner face of the door of the food-compartment, a drip-receptacle held removably by said clamps, a flexible tube attached to the outlet of theice-chamber and removably connected with the removable dripreceptacle so as to normally communicate therewith, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a refrigerator, the-combination with the ice-chamber and the door of the foodcompartment, of a drip-receptacle on said door, and a tube com-municating at one end with the ice-chamber and projecting at its other end through an opening in said dripreceptacle, whereby while in engagement said drip-receptacle and tube can have a movement relatively to each other when the door is opened and closed.

5. In a refrigerator, the combination with the ice-chamber and door, of a dripreceptaole attached to the door, and a flexible tube communicating at one end with the ice-chamber and in constant communication with the interior of the drip-receptacle at all times when said receptacle is on the door and when the door is opened or closed.

6. The combination with a refrigerator, of a drip-receptacle removably attached to the inner face of the door thereof, a rubber tube connected at one end with the outlet of the LIVINGSTONE w. rrsn.

Witnesses:

B. O. MATTHEWS, F. W. BLAIR. 

